Those were the words that came out of H’s mouth last week when she came home from the weekend at her dad’s!! She’s been after a play tent for a while and she has spent the last few weeks looking through the Early Learning catalogue saying she wants them all. Well when she came home to this….

………not only was it the best tent in the world, I was the best mum in the world – honest, they were her words!

This tent is fantastic with a wooden frame that screws together making a sturdy play tent for indoors or out. The only thing I would say is build it where you want it unless you have patio doors because it’s wider than a standard door!! I was so excited I didn’t think about that and will have to dismantle it to get it outside, but for the moment it has pride of place in the living room because it’s H’s favourite toy!

Take a look at this and more play tents here, where you will also find some really lovely looking wooden play houses – I daren’t show H the website!!

Disclaimer: I received a Princess Play Tent for the purpose of this review.

So cute and small, you’ll want to adopt them all! FurReal Friends Snuggimals palm-sized pets are a handful of fun. Pet the adorable Snuggimals puppies on their backs and they’ll move their heads and wag their tails, ready for playtime! Snuggimals kitties love to have their tummies rubbed, and furry Snuggimals bunnies are comfiest when they cuddle into your palm. Stroke it’s back and watch the cute Snuggimals seal wiggle about in your hand. You can choose from more than 20 different Snuggimals pets, but it’s more fun with more than one!

These make ideal stocking fillers for the upcoming festivities, or even, at and RRP of £7.99, just as a treat for having a good week. The idea is simple enough, little furry animals which fit in your hand and when you stroke them they make noises. The recommended age for these is 4+ and when I asked B if she wanted to try them out she said she would love to. B is 7 though, and was a little disappointed that they didn’t do as much as she had expected them to do! However, H loved them and keeps stroking and talking to them as if they are real animals!! Now I personally would buy these for H even though she is only 2, but that’s got to be the parents choice and as such I wouldn’t buy them for friends children unless I knew they would be ok with it! I have to say though, they are very cute and soft and I can’t fault them at all for quality. Ideal for little girls who love animals!!

I was recently contacted about reviewing some toys that have recently hit the market and one of them was the Upsy Daisy Tea Party. Now anyone with preschoolers will know that In The Night Garden is one of those kids programs that is addictive for the little ones! H has loads of Night Garden toys and absolutely loved this one.

When it arrived H wanted it out straight away, no surprise there!!! In the set was Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy, a head band for Upsy Daisy, 2 cups, saucers and spoons, and a tea pot. Igglepiggle’s blanket is removable and can be used as their picnic blanket too.

Now one thing that bugs me with kids toys is the amount of packaging, but this really impressed me! Both figures were secured into place using ribbon which could be cut without damaging the toys, and the other bits popped out with ease. Although lots of ties are used to keep the bits in place in the box, it took a minute to get this little lot out and for me that’s a major plus with a two year old yelling for the bits!

H was really impressed and has had this toy out loads ever since we got it. She loves to feed Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy, oh and me too! She is the typical kind of two year old who loves role play, be it in her kitchen or with her pushchair and doll, so this was right up her street and compliments the other food toys she has. The other good bit is that both figures are soft and cuddly so when H said she wanted this Igglepiggle to go to bed with rather than her other one, I had no hesitation in letting her.

Aimed at age 2 and over, at an RRP of £29.99 this is an ideal Christmas present idea, and I would have no hesitation in buying this for my own or for friends children. For kids who love the whole role play side of things, this is great and the fact it includes characters that our kids know and love just makes it even better!

The stacking tree is made from rubber wood and consist of a trunk, attached to a sturdy base, with 8 branches of varying shades of green, and 4 different sizes. On first look on the web site it does conjure up the idea this is quite small, but standing 21.5cm tall it’s the perfect size for little hands. It is recommended for age 2 years plus, H is now 23 months and it is perfect for her level of ability. She loves to make different shapes, and also loves tipping it upside down when I have stacked it wrong!! I can also see scope for the play with the item to adjust as she develops, as a great aid to counting and learning about big and small. The wood has a very natural look and feel to it, while still being bright and appealing to young children. In fact at the moment this is most definitely one of H’s 1st choice toys when she goes to the toy chest.

This product is made by Plan Toys and this is what they say about themselves:

‘We create toys that inspire children’s imagination as well as promote their physical and intellectual development. We’re also proving that it is possible to maintain superior quality standards while steadfastly following a path of environmental and social responsibility.’

Retailing at just £11.99 through www.hellobabydirect.co.uk this is most definitely a highly recommended toy from me. It’s simple and straight to the point but keeps little minds and fingers active for hours! Why not go and take a look, they also have a vast range of other toys and all look just as great!

All about me!

For those of you who didn’t read my old blog, or just want to remind yourself of my background, here goes…….

I’m a 33 year old single mum. I have two daughters, B is 8 and H is 3. I have been single since I was 5 months pregnant with H, and yes they both have the same dad. They see him alternate weekends and holidays unless he is away with work.

When my marriage broke down I moved the length of the country to be back at home near family and unfortunately lost my job due to the credit crunch too. I returned to work in March 2010, as a Family Support Worker. It’s such a rewarding job but hard work too. I’m now in a new relationship with Mr D and have the added dynamics of his children and how they fit into both my life and my girls lives! Being a parent brings some challenges but I wouldn’t change it!

As a single mum it’s a great way to view my opinions and get other points of view. Don’t get me wrong I have some fantastic friends and family on my doorstep and I talk things through with them. Sometimes the view of a perfect stranger is a breeze of fresh air though.

So be warned, I really am getting into this now and I am likely to post some utter drivel as well as some (hopefully) interesting stuff. All I ask is that you comment honestly, I don’t expect my opinions to be agreeable to everyone and at times I will be looking for some opinions that contradict my own.